Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday presented budget proposals of Rs 58,444 crore for the financial year 2024-25, with a focus on uplifting farmers’ economy through non-chemical, environment-friendly natural farming and animal husbandry, terming it as an initiative towards ‘self-reliant Himachal’.
While no fresh taxes have been imposed in the budget despite financial constraints, the Chief Minister tried to touch different sections, proposing some hike in their wages and salaries, including the employees, who will get the 4% DA (Dearness Allowance) instalment released from April 1, 2024.
“Out of every Rs 100, only Rs 28 will be devoted for development works in the state, Rs 25 will be spent on salaries, Rs 17 on pensions, Rs 11 on interest payment, Rs 9 on loan payment and Rs 10 on grants to autonomous institutions,” the Chief Minister said. The fiscal deficit is Rs 10,784 crore, which is 4.75 per cent of the State Domestic Product.
In his budget speech in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance Portfolio, said the debt burden on the state at present is Rs 87,788 crore. The total debt liabilities increased from Rs.47,906 crore in 2018 to Rs.76,651 crore in 2023.
Sukhu, who started his speech by expressing condolences for all those who lost their lives in the unprecedented rains during Monsoons last year, said the state government had sent a Memorandum of Losses totalling to over Rs 9000 crore to the Centre, but the Centre did not give the state its due. “Still, the state government announced a relief package of Rs 4500 crore to the disaster-affected people,” he said.
Announcing new initiatives to promote natural farming in Himachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister announced “Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Start-up Yojana” to promote self-employment in natural farming as the 3rd component of Rs 680 crore ‘Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Yojana’.
Under this, in the first phase, 10 farmers from each Panchayat will be encouraged to ‘Chemical Free Farming’ resulting in about 36,000 farmers adopting natural farming. The farmers who are already doing this farming will be given priority.
The Chief Minister said as the farmers continue to join this scheme and use cow dung instead of urea and 12- 32-16 fertilizer in the production of wheat and urea in maize, their grains will be purchased at a Minimum Support price (MSP).
“With the aim of motivating unemployed youth for natural farming, a maximum of 20 quintals of naturally grown grains per family will be procured by the Government at the MSP of Rs 40 per kg and maize at the rate of Rs 30 per kg. The MSP given by our Government is the highest in the country. This is another effort of our Government for making Himachal Pradesh ‘Self-Reliant’,” he said.
He said this will provide a security net to those farmers who practice natural farming and youth in rural areas will be motivated for self-employment in the agriculture sector. Ten new ‘Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)’ will also be formed. He said Rs 50 crore will be spent on this intervention during 2024-25.
Sukhu said the government will ensure an increase in the income of farmers by linking animal husbandry and milk production with natural farming.
“Intending to encourage farmers to increase milk production and reduce use of chemical fertilizers, I announce to procure the cow and buffalo milk by the Government by increasing the Minimum Support Price from the current Rs 38 per litre to Rs 45 per litre; and from Rs.47 to Rs 55 per litre, respectively, with effect from April 1, 2024,” he said.
“This is the first time in the history of Himachal that Minimum Support Price has been ensured even on milk. Himachal Pradesh is the only state in the entire India to buy milk at the minimum support price. This increased amount will be given to milk producers according to the quality of milk. If a farmer gets a higher price in the open market, she/he will be free to sell it in the open market,” the Chief Minister said.
Sukhu said more dung will be available due to increased livestock, which will help in natural farming. The wheat produced through natural farming will be certified and procured by the government.
Meanwhile, in his reaction, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister, Chander Kumar said the allocation of Rs 582 crore for the agriculture sector reflects the commitment of the state government to improving the economy of the farming community of the state.
“As 90 per cent of the population resides in the rural areas, the sops announced for the farmers will certainly help to improve their economy by adopting modern tools,” he said.
The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for procuring cow milk at the rate of Rs 45 from the existing Rs. 38 and that of buffalo milk to Rs. 55 from present Rs 47 per litre will certainly help in the expansion of local dairy industry besides fetching good rates to the cattle rearers.
It is worth mentioning that there are over 9.60 lakh farmers in Himachal Pradesh and more than 1.80 lakh farmers have already switched to the non-chemical natural farming technique over the last five years.
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